James e



(No Model.)

J. R'. ALLGIRB.

QARRBL HEAD. 'No..338,379. PatentedMar. 23, 1886..

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UNTED STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. ALLGIRE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

BARREL-HEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,379, dated March 23, 1886.

Application led January 2,1886. Serial No. 157,451. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMns R. ALLGIRE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel-Heads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to make a barrel-head in which the sections shall be flexibly connected, and in which the joints shall eiectually be closed when the head is in place without the necessity of making the sections of heavy material, and these objects I effect by grooving the edges of the sections, and by connecting them by strips of veneer having the grain running transversely, as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a barrel-head, illustrating my improvement. Fig. 2 is an edge view; Fig. 3, a transverse section en larged; Fig. 4, a section 011 the line O D, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a section showing the edge of one of the sections; Fig. 6 a section illustrating a modification.

A represents the barrel-head, which, as shown, consists of three sections, c a a2; but it may consist of two sections, or four or more, according to the character of the barrel and other circumstances.

In the straight edge of each section of the head is made a groove, w, Fig. 5, which may be produced by means of a revolving saw or any suitable cutter, and which corresponds With the groove of the adjacent section, and in the coinciding grooves xofeach two adjacent sections is inserted a strip, b, of veneer equal in width to the depth of the corresponding grooves, and extending the entire length ofthe sections, and curved at the edges to correspond to the curve of the sections, as shown in Fig. l. It is important that the strip b be cut from the veneer so that the grain shall run across the joint y between the sections, or at right angles to the straight edges of the sections, as illustrated in Fig. 4, where the transverse lines s indicate the line of the grain of the Wood in a strip of veneer. The strip b fits the grooves tightly, but not so tightly as to prevent its ready insertion and withdrawal from the sections, so that the barrel-head m'ay be readily built up by bringing the sections together with the st rips between, and may be readily dismembered by separating the sections.

The head constructed as above described, although Vapplicable to barrels of general construction, is especially adapted to that class of barrels in which the body consists of a single piece ot' material, where theends cannot be spread for the insertion of the head, as iu barrels made of staves bound together.

In applying the head the sections are brought together, held loosely in connection by the strips, and the edge sections, a a", are

bent downward against the bearing within` preveutingthem from separating, the posi-- tion of the grain of the veneer insuring a certain amount of elasticity, but preventing the strips from splitting as they bend to accommodate themselves to the movement of the sections. After the head is in place upon the barrel the strips b serve to close the joints y, so as to prevent the escape of the contents of the barrel, should the sections shrink or separate from each other at their contiguous edges. Vhile the strips b thus connect the sections together and close the joints, their use does not necessitate the employment of heavy material in the manufacture of the head, inasmuch as they are of veneer and so thin that they can be applied without weakening the sections to those made of the usual thin material. W'here extra strength or security is required, each section may have two parallel grooves or slits for the reception of two parallel strips, b, as shown in Fig. 6, and, owing to the thinness of the veneer, the two strips may be applied where the head is made of thin material.

I claim- A barrel-head consisting of two or more sections having corresponding grooves in their In testimony whereof I have signed my Aadjacent edges, with connecting-strips eXtendl name to this specification in the presence of ing across the joints into the Corresponding two subscribing Witnesses.

grooves of adjacent sections, each strip con- JAMES R. ALLGIRE. 5 sisting of veneer having its grain running YVitnesSes:

across the joint between the sections, snbstan- AUSTIN B, PRATHER,

tially as set forth. LESLIE C. 

